Kurt Heikkinen, President and CEO of Montage Talent
Address: 514 Wells Street, Delafield, WI 53018
Website: www.montagetalent.com
Industry: Software technology
Number of employees: 30+
Family: Wife: Doreen; children: Samantha, Megan and Daniel; pet dog: Chester
What was the smartest thing your company did in the past year?
“We stayed true to our strategy. As an early-stage company, it would be easy to lose focus or try to do too much. I am proud of our team and how we have stayed focused on the right priorities – those that matter most to our clients and our business.”
What’s new at your company?
“Practically everything! Substantial growth brings rapid change. Each month we add new clients and new business partners. As continual innovation is a key to our success, every quarter we release a new version of our platform. Our latest release included a new mobile interviewing application and new employer branding capabilities for clients. And, just recently we entered new international markets including Europe and AsiaPac.”
Do you plan to hire any additional staff or make any significant capital investments in your company in the next year?
“Absolutely. We are a leader in our industry because of our technology and service excellence. Our business strategy calls for continued investments in research, innovation and client support to ensure we continue to deliver great value to our clients while staying ahead of the competition. We are backed by a set of industry leading investors and we are using that capital to bring new solutions to market. We’ll be adding talent in software development, marketing, sales and client support.”
What will be your company’s main challenges in the next year?
“Our plan is to more than double in size each of the next three years while expanding our reach into new international markets. This type of rapid, multi-year growth can create unique challenges for an organization. When you are moving as fast as we are, you need strong alignment across all business units. And, you need the right talent, processes and tools to support your growth. Over the past few years, we have built the right foundation, positioning us to overcome these challenges and realize our growth objectives.”
What’s the hottest trend in your industry?
“In our industry video interviewing is very hot, including the use of mobile phones and iPads for interviewing. There is a major transformation happening in the area of recruiting. Where recruiters once relied on job boards, resumes and phone screens to evaluate candidates, these approaches are now too slow for employers and too cumbersome for candidates. The new age of recruiting includes LinkedIn, social recruiting platforms and the use of video throughout. Our solutions are at the center of this transformation.”
Do you have a business mantra?
“We don’t have a single business mantra per-se but rather five core components of our culture. These are: winning attitude, disciplined execution, wolfpack (teaming, collaboration, and accountability), client focus and market leadership. Each component has a specific meaning and keeps our team on-balance. We hire talent to a specific cultural fit and ensure our work habits and results stay true to these.”
From a business standpoint, who do you look up to?
“I have been in the technology space for more than 20 years and have always admired leaders who had great success while doing business with integrity, those leaders who created raving fans from their clients and employees alike. I had the pleasure of working for Dave Duffield (founder of PeopleSoft and Workday) earlier in my career and have always respected how he has led – with a passion for serving clients and a commitment to company culture.”
What was the best advice you ever received?
“I have received some great advice over the years: follow your passion, don’t be afraid to take risks and invest in yourself and others.”
What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you in your career?
“In the ‘90s, I worked in Australia for a year. I had just arrived and had been hearing Australian slang in conversation quite a bit including such things as brekkie (breakfast), barbie (barbeque), prezzy (present) and footy (football). I sat down for my first business lunch. Trying to fit in, I asked for a ‘nappy,’ wanting a napkin. As it turned out, nappy is the Australian term for diaper.”
What do you like to do in your free time?
“I enjoy spending time with my family. I coach baseball and basketball. I enjoy travel, hockey, softball, fishing, golf and movies.”
